Bo Xilai’s Son Ticketed in Porsche

By WSJ Staff

Getty Images

Bo Xilai with his son in 2007.

BOSTON—In an effort to dispel reports that he led a luxurious lifestyle, Bo Guagua, the Chinese “princeling” at Harvard and son of a deposed Communist leader, this week denied he ever drove a Ferrari. But Mr. Bo has racked up three traffic citations in Massachusetts—and according to a person familiar with the matter, he was driving a black Porsche.

Mr. Bo is the son of Bo Xilai, the ousted party chief of Chongqing, China, and his wife Gu Kailai, who is under suspicion in China for the murder of a British businessman.

The Chinese authorities haven’t cited any allegations against the younger Mr. Bo, but in announcing actions against his parents, they said that he and his mother had a close relationship with the late British businessman, Neil Heywood, which later soured because of a business dispute. Mr. Bo, 24, is a postgraduate student at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Disputing a notion common in China that he lives a lavish lifestyle, Mr. Bo wrote to the Harvard Crimson on Tuesday saying he wished to address “rumors and allegations about myself.” Among other things, “I have never driven a Ferrari,” he wrote. The Wall Street Journal reported in November, based on people familiar with the episode, that Mr. Bo, the grandson of an illustrious Communist leader of the Mao era, arrived at the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Beijing in a red Ferrari last year to pick up the daughter of the then-ambassador.

Mr. Bo’s whereabouts is unknown, but he has lived until recently at an upscale apartment building in Cambridge, Mass., with a full-time concierge and sun deck. Apartments like his typically rent for about $2,950 a month, according to rental websites. Mr. Bo appeared to have left his apartment nearly two weeks ago escorted by private security personnel, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Massachusetts Department of Transportation records show Mr. Bo was stopped by police for allegedly running stop signs in December 2010 and May 2011, one of them at 2:20 a.m., and for speeding in February 2011. The license plate of the car, which the Journal learned from someone familiar with the matter, showed it was a black 2011 Porsche Panamera registered to someone at his address. Cars similar to that cost $80,000 or more new, according to Edmunds.com.

The license plate on the car is registered to James Jun Cui, according to state records. A person with that name has an address in New York City. A man who answered a cellphone linked with Mr. Cui on Thursday evening was asked about his relationship with Bo Guagua. He replied, “I’m traveling, now is not a good time,” and hung up.

Writing to the Crimson, Mr. Bo said that his education—which besides Harvard has included Oxford University and the British private school Harrow—had been funded “exclusively by two sources—scholarships earned independently, and my mother’s generosity from the savings she earned from her years as a successful lawyer and writer.” He didn’t say who provided the scholarships or who paid the fees for Papplewick, another British private school he attended before Harrow.

In the statement, Mr. Bo portrayed himself as a typical university student, who has participated in extracurricular clubs and social activities. He wrote that he had not “lent my name to nor participated in any for-profit business or venture, in China or abroad.”

The Obama administration could face a political issue when the visa allowing the younger Mr. Bo to remain in the U.S. as a student runs out. It isn’t known when the visa expires.

State Department officials in recent days have declined to discuss the younger Mr. Bo’s future status at Harvard or specify what kind of visa he holds. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Monday described Bo Guagua as a “student in good standing at Harvard…You can draw your own conclusions from that.”

Comments (5 of 12)

I am living in a age of all rumors around me from which I couldnot choose what is true. I cannot even figure whether it is a lie or not, because I believe it easily. However, I, as an ordinary Chinese citizen, am more tolerant of the fact that the corruption of Chinese official. But they should do it only to certain degree according to reality.That is what I hope for at the reat of my life.

1:09 am April 29, 2012

Bong wrote :

It doesn't take much to figure out that something is wrong here. How does a son of a prominant Chinese communist leader go to private schools like Harrow, Oxford, Harvard and drive around in porsche's? Bo Xilai and his wife are up to something no good. Where there is smoke.....
What would Mao say about Bo Gaugau?

12:55 am April 29, 2012

Andrew wrote :

Western media should be more professional

I have followed media coverage of the Bo family closely recently, trying to piece together a sensible picture before the official findings come out.

But I have truly had difficulty believing what has been reported. I am really surprised, and confused, when even the most venerated newspapers in the United States, which I have profound personal respect for, have relied heavily on unidentified sources at decisive points.

I understand some interviewees prefer to remain anonymous when quoted on sensitive topics, which is permissible in professional journalism under special circumstances.

The eavesdropping stories sound attractive to those ignorant but curious about Chinese politics. But they have left me unconvinced because there has not been a single source that sounded convincing to me, and, in particular, all crucial quotes were from unidentified sources, and thus were unverifiable.

The exaggerative style and reliance on unnamed sources in the Western media's narrative sounds similar to Falun Gong propaganda. Since Falun Gong was outlawed in the mainland and its leader fled China, the notorious cult's overseas media outlets have churned out outlandish stories of political struggles in Beijing. And, as a rule, their reports depend almost entirely on anonymous "insiders" whose claims have seldom ended up being true.

I totally understand the Western media's eagerness to entertain and satisfy their curious readers. But unlike Falun Gong propaganda, which has no credibility to worry about, they may want to be more professional in deciding what to present to their audience.

11:01 pm April 28, 2012

Sam S wrote :

“exclusively by two sources—scholarships earned independently..." I suspect that these "scholarships" are actually fellowships sponsored by the so-called Confucius Institutes or some other means of funneling Communist regime money into our Ivy League educational institutions - so technically, he could be getting funded by his own father through official Chinese government grants to Harvard. The way the Chinese regime has set up its funding to our institutions - especially Ivy League schools - is extremely elaborate and discrete ... which is why China "scholars" in these universities rarely speak out against the Chinese government. I found out about this a few years ago when a Chinese employee - who was a student at one of these schools at that time - told us as much.